Transmission-Ratio Distortion through F(1) Females at Chromosome 11 Loci Linked to Om in the Mouse Ddk Syndrome

We determined the genotypes of >200 offspring that are survivors of matings between female reciprocal F(1) hybrids (between the DDK and C57BL/6J inbred mouse strains) and C57BL/6J males at markers linked to the Ovum mutant (Om) locus on chromosome 11. In contrast to the expectations of our previous genetic model to explain the ``DDK syndrome,' the genotypes of these offspring do not reflect preferential survival of individuals that receive C57BL/6J alleles from the F(1) females in the region of chromosome 11 to which the Om locus has been mapped. In fact, we observe significant transmission-ratio distortion in favor of DDK alleles in this region. These results are also in contrast to the expectations of Wakasugi's genetic model for the inheritance of Om, in which he proposed equal transmission of DDK and non-DDK alleles from F(1) females. We propose that the results of these experiments may be explained by reduced expression of the maternal DDK Om allele or expression of the maternal DDK Om allele in only a portion of the ova of F(1) females.